Method and apparatus for making miniature lamp mounts



Filed Oct. 51. -195].

Aug. 28, 1956 A. E. PAKISH ET AL 2,760,529

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MINIATURE LAMP MOUNTS 5 Sheets-Sheet l A lnven t'or's: An khony E. Pakish, Helge V. Erickson,

Their- A h' tor'nea.

Aug. 28, 1956 A. E. PAKISH ET AL 2,760,529

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MINIATURE LAMP MOUNTS Filed OOi. 31. 195] 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvsn tovs ATT'lZhOTIU EPakish,

Helge Erickson, bgwc w Their A t torney.

28, 1956 A. E. PAKISH ET AL 2,760,529

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MINIATURE LAMP MOUNTS Filed Oct. 31, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnven tovs: An thony E.Pal ish, HeLge V Evickson,

TheiT- A kfisorneg.

United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING MINIATURE LAMP MOUNTS Anthony E. Pakish, Cleveland, and Helge V. Erickson, Euclid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application October 31, 1951, Serial No. 254,052

8 Claims. (Cl. 140-71.6)

Our invention relates to a method and apparatus for making filament mounts, especially for small miniature incandescent lamps. More particularly, our invention relates to a method and apparatus for performing a filament mounting operation in the manufacture of a buttseal type of miniature lamp wherein said filament is attached to the leads and one or more support wires of said lamp.

The present invention has particular reference to the manufacture of the smaller sizes of miniature incandescent lamps by automatic means and the proper attachment of a filament to the elements of the mount, particularly a mount comprising a pair of leads joined by a bead of insulating material and one or more support wires extending from said bead to positions intermediate the leads. The method and apparatus provide for the center portion of the filament to be retained in hooks in end portions of one or more support Wires and the support wires each to be comprised of a main portion extending obliquely from the bead to a position to one side of the plane of the leads and an end portion extending transversely to the plane of the leads and the filament.

An object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting the mounting of a filament on the spaced leads and intermediate support wire of the small so-called butt-seal type mount, the method and apparatus being adapted for use with conventional automatically operated mount making means and adapted to automatic operation. The difliculties of fulfilling the above object arises in the bending of the support wire to proper form and in the proper attachment of said support wire to the filament, which difficulties result from the very small size of the support wire and the filament and the extremely limited working area between the various parts of the mount. Our invention is, for instance, concerned with the manufacture of a mount for instrument lighting lamps in airplanes, a mount having a pair of leads, two support wires and a filament in a cubical less than $1 inch on a side.

In accordance with this object our invention provides for the support wire to be bent first to a preliminary position obliquely offset from the leads, the filament to be mounted on the leads and then the support wire to be rebent and connected to said filament.

Another object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus for effecting the connection of one or more support wires to the filament of a butt-seal type of incandescent lamp mount in a series of operations comprising simultaneously occurring mount reshaping and support wire connecting steps. The present invention obviates former manual operations required to connect a support wire to the filament of a butt-seal type mount manufactured as shown in Patent 2,199,852, lden, dated May 7, 1940, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which operations require the manual displacement and then the rearrangement of the support wire following the automatic manufacturing steps.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing butt-seal type mounts wherein one or more support wires are bent so as to place an open hook in the ends thereof in supporting relation to the filament of the mount and wherein said open hooks are closed around the filament to restrict its movement.

Our invention provides for a butt-seal type mount to be manufactured either manually or mechanically by first bending a support wire for holding the filament thereof to a preliminary position offset from its normal position, then mounting a filament between the ends of leads on opposite sides of the support wire, then pushing said support wire to its normal alignment whereby an open hook therein is below the filament, and then lifting the hook portion of the support wire into engagement with the filament. Although not essential, it is preferred that the filament be shaped to its final form and the leads be bent to their final relation in the same step that the support wire is aligned since said operations facilitate the determination of the position of the filament during the latter operation and contribute to the proper performance thereof. For the same reasons, it is also preferred that the open hooks in the support wire be closed about the filament at the same time and that the support wire be positioned finally in the mount assembly in the same manufacturing sequence if such operations are required to complete the particular mount being manufactured.

Still other features and advantages of our invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rotatable mount carrier of a mount making machine with the support wire forming and attaching devices of our invention shown at respective work stations thereabout; Figs. 2 through 7 are a series of perspective views and side elevations of an incandescent lamp mount in progressive steps of manufacture in accordance with the invention; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a support wire forming device of the invention; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a mount shaping and support wire attaching device of the invention; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the mount shaping and support wire attaching device, the view being modified by the breaking away of a portion of the supporting standard and operating means on the near side thereof; Fig. 11 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of a mount and certain parts of the mount shaping and support wire attaching device in direct association therewith, at a time following the reformation of the leads and filament and midway in the attachment of the support wire to the filament; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the head of the mount shaping and support wire attaching device showing in particular the enclosed operatingmeans thereof, Figs. 13 through 16 are a series of perspective views and side elevations of another type of incandescent lamp mount in the course of being manufactured in accordance with our invention; Fig. 17 is a perspective view on a large scale of a modified support wire forming device particularly suited to the manufacture of the latter type of lamp mount; Fig. 18 is a side elevation of a modified hook closing and support wire spacing device suited to the manufacture of the latter type mount; and Fig. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view on a larger scale of the essential elements of the hook closing and support wire spreading means of the latter device at an intermediate moment in the manufacture of the mount shown in Figs. 13 to 16 inclusive.

The combination of apparatus providing for the manufacture of the incandescent lamp mount in accordance with our invention effects the step-by-step development of said mount during the course of movement of the parts thereof through a succession of work stations in the manner of operation of the apparatus disclosed in lllingworth Patent 1,733,881, dated October 29, 1929, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The mount is gradually built up in each of the heads 1 of a turret or carrier 2 by work devices which are located at stations about said turret 2 and to which said heads 1 are advanced by regularly occurring counterclockwise indexing movements of the said turret 2. The present disclosure is restricted to those work devices which directly relate to specific portions of the method of our invention and is first concerned with the mount when the head 1 is advanced to operative relation to the support wire forming device 3 of our invention at the station indicated at A.

The mount 4 (Fig. 2) as it appears at that station (A) is representative of one product of manufacture of the apparatus disclosed in the aforesaid Illingworth Patent 1,733,881 and the apparatus of Iden Patent 2,199,852. Said mount 4 comprises a pair of spaced leads 5 and 6 joined by a bead 7 of insulating material, and a support wire 8 having one end embedded in a portion of the head 7 between the leads 5 and 6 and lying at a slightly oblique position with reference to the plane of said leads 5 and 6. Open hooks 9 are provided in the so-called inner ends of the leads 5 and 6, whereas the opposite outer ends thereof are shaped to facilitate the sealing of said mount 4 in the butt-seal type of lamp. A relatively large hook 10 is also present in the free end of the support wire 8.

The support wire forming device 3 has the dual function of bending the support wire 8 at points adjacent the head 7 and midway thereof so as to cause said support wire 8 to take an even more oblique position with relation to the leads 5 and 6 and so as to cause an end portion 11 including the hook 10 to be brought down to a position contiguous to and substantially perpendicular to said plane. The form of the support wire 8 on completion of the bending operation corresponds generally to that formed by the apparatus of the Iden Patent 2,199,852 hereinbefore referred to; however, it is not at such a position as to allow it to properly support the filament of the mount since the entire support wire 8 is at a preliminary position at which it is tilted outward from its final filament-supporting position. The bending operations are etfected by the forming device 3 (Fig. 8) when a horizontal movement of a blade 12 and a supporting slide 13, in ways in the base 14 of said device 3, cause the end of said blade 12 to be forced against the mid-portion of the support wire 8 and when the end portion 11 of said support wire 8 engages the finger 1S and is blocked from further displacement thereby. The latter bending operation is also assisted by an additional rocking movement of the finger 15 toward the plane of the leads 5 and 6 and is effected by motion of the assembly comprised of the finger 15, the supporting post 16 and the arm 17 about the shaft 18. The shaft 13, in turn, is a fixed member in a bracket 19 fastened to the top surface of the base 14, and the operation of the forming device 3 is effected by movements of the slide 13 and the arm 17 at the proper moment under influence of the main driving means of the apparatus.

The forming device 3, like all other devices about the turret 2 is located on a supporting table below and in the immediate area thereof and is operated by means of push rods 20 and 21 extending up through said table from portions (not shown) of the driving means in the manner of the previously disclosed mount making apparatus. The movement of the slide 13 and blade 12 of the forming device 3 is effected through the upward movement of a push rod 20 located beyond the end of said device 3 and the corresponding rocking motion of a lever 22 pivoted on the pin 23 at the end of the base 14. A link 24 connects push rod 20* to the lever 22 whereas a second link 25 connects the lever 22 to the slide 13. The arm 17 and the finger 15, on the other hand, take their motion :on the downward movement of the push rod 21 which is mounted in a hearing at one side of the base 14 of the device 3. The downward movement of the push rod 21 results in pivotal motion of the arm 17, in a direction to cause the finger 15 thereon to bend the support wire 8, by the downward swinging movement of the operating lever 26 which swings about the pivot 27 in the upstanding support 28 at the end of the base 14. The upper end of the push rod 21 bears against the end of an adjusting screw 29 midway along the operating lever 26 and, on downward movement of the push rod 21, moves downwardly away from the adjusting screw 29 to allow the operating lever to swing downwardly so that the adjusting screw 30 on the end thereof presses the arm 17 downward. The operating lever 26 is swung downwardly by the contraction force of springs 31 connecting posts in said lever 26 and the base 14, whereas the arm 17 is pivoted by the operating lever against the contraction force of a spring 32 connecting posts in said arm 17 and the base 14 and is moved from a retracted position determined by the engagement of the stop screw 33 in a lug of the arm 17 with an ear 34 of the bracket 19.

Withdrawal of the blade 12 and the finger 15 from engagement with the support wire 8 occurs with the ensuing downward movement of the push rod 20 and upward movement of push rod 21, and moves the blade 12 and the finger 15 clear of the course of travel of the mount 4 away from work station A and another mount 4 to said station. The mount 4 which, prior to its advance to the work station A, initially appeared as shown in Fig. 3, has the altered form shown in Fig. 3 after the reshaping operation performed thereon at the said work station A.

At work station B, the next taken in the course of movement of the head 1 and mount 4, a coiled filament 35 (Fig. 4) is attached to the inner ends of the leads 5 and 6 by automatically operated apparatus (not shown) preferably of the type disclosed in lllingworth Patent 1,733,881 hereinbefore referred to. The mounting operation is facilitated by the relatively wide spread of the inner ends of the leads 5 and 6 in the present instance since it permits a coiled filament 35 of comparatively long length to be more readily arranged in a fiat arch between said leads 5 and 6, and permits said filament 35 to be readily attached thereto by the clamping of the hooks 9 over end portions of the filament. The completion of the cycle of operation of the filament mounting apparatus at station E finds the mount 4constructed as shown in Fig. 4.

The next operation affecting the mount 4 is an indexing movement which advances it to work station C, a station occupied by the mount shaping and support wire connecting device 36 (Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive). The mount 4 takes a position opposite the center of the device 36 which is mounted just outwardly of the path of movement of the heat 1 of the turret 2 and is first engaged by said device 36 when the filament lifting finger 37 and the lead bending fingers 38 and 39 are moved into operative relation to the mount by a rocking movement of an upstanding support arm 40 located within a center opening in the main support standard 41 thereof. The positioning movement of the fingers 37, 38 and 390ccurs with the corresponding motion of an operating lever 42 mounted in a straddle position about the support arm 40 on the pin 43 which motion, at this particular moment in the operation of the device 36, is the same as that of the operating lever 42 inasmuch as the contraction force of a helical spring 44 extending between posts in arm 40 and lever 42 causes the support arm 40 to be kept turned so that a stop screw 45 in a lower heel portion thereof bears against the lower surface of the operating lever 42. The lever 42, in turn, is actuated by the upward motion of an operating bar 46 located in a channel in the back portion thereof and extending downwardly to the main driving means of the device 36 hereinbefore referred to. The lever 42, at this time, takes the direct motion of the operating bar 46 inasmmh as the end portions of a pin 47 in said operating bar 46 are caused to remain against one end (i. e. the lower end) of slots 47' in a rear portion of the operating lever 42 by the contraction force of a helical spring 48 extending between posts attached to the bar 46 and the lever 42. The limit of the movement is reached when the stop screw 49 in a second projecting portion of the support arm 40 bears against the flange joining the spaced portions of the supporting standard 41 of the device, which portions also function as the means of holding the opposite ends of the pivot pin 43.

A mount reforming operation effected by the simultaneous movement of the fingers 37, 38 and 39 is the next operation of the device 36 and is produced by the upward movement of the finger 37 against the center of the filament 35 and the closing movement of the fingers 38 and 39 against the outer sides of the portions of the leads 5 and 6 extending above the bead 7. The finger 37, which lies in a vertical slot in the support arm 40 and which is pivoted on the pin 50 in a rearward extending portion thereof, and the fingers 38 and 39, which are pivoted upon studs 5151, are caused to swing against the filament 35 and the leads 5 and 6, respectively, by a separate motion of the operating lever 42 and the resulting butting of the screws 52 and 53 thereon against Wings on the fingers 37, 38 and 39. During this interval, motion of the support arm 40 is prevented by the stop screw 49, and the continuing motion of the operating lever 42, effected by the still further upward motion of the operating bar 46, tilts said lever 42 from engagement with the stop screw 45 on the lower portion of the support arm 40. The motion of the finger 37 is produced against the resistance of a helical spring 54 connected between a lower lip thereon and the post on the support arm 40 and lifts said finger 37 from a rest position where it bears on the pin 55 bridging the slot in the support arm 40 to the raised position shown in Fig. 5. The motion of the fingers 38 and 39, on the other hand, is produced against the expansion pressure of a helical spring 56 located between forward portions thereof and, like that of the finger 37, is terminated when the stop screw 57 in the operating lever 42 butts against the support arm 40 and prevents further movement of said operating lever 42. The fingers 38 and 39 swing in against the inner ends of the leads 5 and 6 to an extent to bend said inner ends to almost a vertical position, the position at which they appear in the completed mount 4 (Fig. 7), and in so doing bring the ends of the filament 35 closer together so that the finger 37 can readily raise the center of said filament 35 to a position slightly above the fullest extent of the hook in the support wire 8. In the preferred manner of operation, the extent of the motion of the fingers 37, 38 and 39 is such as to hold the coiled filament 35 in a somewhat stretched condition so as to facilitate the proper carrying out of the subsequently occurring operation of the device 36.

The next operation of the device 36 is effected by pressure of a shoe or pusher member 58, located on the opposite side of the mount 4 from the main body of the fingers 37, 38 and 39, against the outermost projecting portion of the support wire 8 and bends said support wire 8 back toward the plane of the leads 5 and 6. In this operation, the hook 10 in the end of the support wire 8 is advanced into the slot 59 (Fig. 11) in the end of the finger 37 and takes a position below the top of the filament loop. The shoe 58 extends from a lever 60 pivoted upon a pin 61 retained by lugs on the upper portions of the standard 41 and is actuated by a still further upward movement of the operating bar 46 carrying the end thereof against the screw 62 in a horizontal portion of said lever 6%? extending through to the rear of the device 36. At such times, the motion of the operating bar 46 is independent of any motion in the operating 6 arm 42, since the latter has then reached the limit of its motion, and causes the pin 47, retained by the operating bar 46, to be moved up in the slot 47 in the operating arm 42, and also causes the helical spring 48, connecting said bar 46 and said arm 42 to be expanded.

The next succeeding operation of the device 36 is a downward swing of the support-wire lifting-arm 63 from above and to one side of the mount 4 to a substantially vertical position wherein theprong or pin 64 on the end thereof is below the endportion 11 of the supportwire 8. This operation is followed immediately by an upward movement of the arm 63 and prong 64 for a distance to bend said end portion 11 upward sufficiently to cause the open hook 10 therein to embrace the filament 35.

The swinging motion in the arm 63 is brought about by the rotation of the shaft 65 on which said arm 63 is mounted, and occurs when the main driving means effects an upward movement, corresponding to that occurring in the operating bar 46, in a slide bar 66 (Figs. 10 and 12) located behind the cover plate 67 in vertical slide ways in one side portion of the standard 41 of the device 36. A rack 68 integral with the upper end of the slide bar 66, and a pinion gear 69 on the shaft 65, convert the lineal motion of the slide bar 66 to rotation of the shaft 65. The upward motion of the support-wire lifting-arm 63 is brought about by motion of the upper end 70 of the slide bar 66, which end 70 extends beyond the teeth of the rack 68 to a position over the pinion gear 69. The motion occurs when said end 70 bears against the lower end of a stop screw 71 in the slide block 72, the support for the lifting arm shaft 65, and forces said slide block 72 upward correspondingly. This motion is possible in the slide block 72 in that it is located in vertical ways between the side portions of the standard 41. The presence of the rack 68 and the upper end 70 of the slide bar 66 and the pinion gear 69 in a slot extending upward from the bottom of the slide block 72 to almost the top end thereof holds said slide block 72 in its proper vertical path of movement in the ways of the standard 41. The upward movement of the slide block 72 occurs against the expansion pressure of a helical spring 73 located about the stop screw 71 and seating against the top of the slide block 72 and the bottom of a plate 74 connecting the upper ends of the side portions of the standard 41. The nut 75 on the upper end of the stop screw 71 cooperates with the sleeve 76, which is free to slide longitudinally in the plate 74, in effecting a lock to secure the stop screw 71 in position on the slide block 72.

Although the above operations of the device 36 are the only operations necessarily required to properly shape the mount 4 and connect the support wire 8 to the filament 35 and complete the manufacture of many types of mounts, the device 36, as illustrated, is also adapted to effect a closing of the hook 10 of said support wire 8 to lock the filament 35 therein.

The closing of the hook 10 is effected by the upward movement of the lever 63 and the prong 64 in that the free end of the open hook 10 in the support wire 8 is pressed against the curved surface of the pocket 77 (Fig. 6) in the underside of the die 78 and is deflected over the filament 35 when the end portion 11 and the hook 10 are lifted into supporting position to said filament 35 by said lever 63 and said prong 64. The die 78 is fastened at a fixed position to the lever 60 and is moved to its hook-closing position above the support wire 8 by the movement of said lever 60 which advances the shoe 58.

The hook closing operation is further promoted during the immediately following operations of the device 36 wherein the support wire 8 is bent still further toward the vertical by the shoe 58 and a still further upward movement of the lever 63 and prong 64 occurs. The upward motion of the slide bar 66 effects these lastmentioned operations by raising the slide block 72 to such an extent as to cause the head of the push pin 79 on a rearwardly extending projection of said' block 72 to press against the screw 80 on the. lever 60 and tilt said lever 60. Both this final movement of the lever 60 and the prior movements thereof, effected by the operating bar 46, are brought about against the contraction force of a helical spring 81 connected between posts in thelever 60 and the standard 41. The motion of the shoe 58 is terminated when the lever 60 bears against the stop screw 82 in the plate 74 on the top of the standard 41; however, the slide block 72 and the'prong 64 continue in their motion for a slightly longer period. During this latter interval, the upward travel of that portion of the slide block 72 supporting the push pin 79 slides along said push pin 79 and compresses the helical spring 33 located between said portion and the head thereof.

These final movements of the shoe 58 and prong 64 cause lateral and vertical pressures to be applied to the free end of the hook of the support wire 8 so as to in effect wipe said free end over the filament 8 and into contact with the opposite side of said hook 10. These movements also assist in effecting a set in the various bends made in the support wire 8 so as to prevent excessive spring-back of said support wire 8 after the device 36 is withdrawn from engagement therewith. The resiliency of the support wire 8 may in certain instances cause the hook 10 to open somewhat although not to such an extent as to allow free movement of the filament 35 therethrough during the use of the mount 4 in a lamp. The mount 4 appears as shown in Fig. 7 after the return downward movements of the operating bar 46 and slide bar 66 separate the device 36 therefrom. This operation completes the cycle of the portion of this invention relating to the manufacture of the mount 4.

Another modified form of the invention is illustrated by the step-by-step showing, Figs. 13 to 16 inclusive, of the manufacture of a mount 4 of still smaller size having a pair of filament support wires 8' and 3". The modified form of manufacture prescribed for the making of mount 4' provides for a succession of operations to occur thereto during the time it is advanced through work stations by a carrier as, for instance, the heads 1 of the turret 2 of Fig. l. The initial operations of the manufacture correspond to that described in lden Patent 2,199,852 hereinbefore referred to and that used in the making of mount 4. How ever, two support wires 8' and 8" are inserted .in the bead 7' of the mount 4' at a position slightly to one side of the plane of the leads 5 and 6' and, like all of the mount parts, are smaller and differently proportioned than corresponding parts of mount 4.

The support wire forming operation, the first particular to the invention and the arrangement of the support wires 8' and 8" at the preliminary position in the mount 4 is brought about preferably by the modified means 3' shown in Fig. 17. Both support wires 3' and 8" are formed simultaneously in the manner disclosed in Fig. 14 by the device 3 which is so located along the path of movement of the mount 4' that said support wires 8' and 8" pass to a position between the opposed ends of the blade 12 and the finger of the device. The blade 12 of the modified bending means 3 is advanced toward the finger 15' in the manner of the blade 12 of the bending device 3 and in the course of its movement passes between the inner ends of the leads 5' and 6' and thence into engagement with portions of both support Wires 8 and 8" at a point relatively near the bead 7. The blade 12 is fastened to the lower end of an arm 90 pivoted upon a pin 91 extending from a bracket 92 on the top surface of the standard 14' of the bending means 3 and is advanced by a swinging motion of said arm 90 about the pin 91 under the influence of a forward motion of the push rod 93 against the roller 94 and stud 95 extending from the side of said arm 90.

As in the prior bending device 3, the advance of the blade 12 and operation of the bending means 3 as a whole is brought about by movements elfected in a slide 13', which supports the block 96 holding the push rod 93, in the ways of the standard 14 at a time determined by the operation of the main driving means (not shown). The blade 12 first forces the support wires 8' and 8 to an oblique position where they engage the end of the finger 15 and then, by continuing in the same course of movement, produces a bend midway in the length of the support wires since it is located slightly below said finger 15. The motion of the blade 12 is so great in the present instance as to force the support wires 8' and 8" under the fiar-gcr 15'", which is a stationary member attached to bracket 92, and, when complete, has caused the end portions 11' of the support wires containing the hooks 10 to lie at substantially right angles to the oblique main portions thereof. Both support wires 8' and 8" are then at preliminary positions to one side of the center of the mount 4'. The withdrawal of the bending means 3' from engagement with the mount 4' occurs when the blade 12 is pulled back from its extended position by the corre sponding return movement of the slide 13', and the contraction force of a helical spring 97 extending between a fastening on the screw 98 and a post on the bracket 92 causes the arm 91 to be pulled back.

The mount 4' in the modified apparatus .is next advanced to a work station corresponding to station B where a coiled filament 35' (Fig. 16) is mounted between the inner ends of the leads 5 and 6. This filament mounting operation is preferably performed by apparatus of the type disclosed in Illingworth Patent 1,733,881 hereinbefore referred to.

Following the filament mounting operation the mount 4' is advanced to another work station, the work station in the present instance corresponding in a large part to work station C of Fig. l and being occupied by a device corresponding to as much of the device shown located thereat as is required to effect the mount reshaping opera tions necessary to place the support Wires 8' and 8" below the filament 35. The specific operations required for the above mount reshaping operation are comprised of a lead wire bending operation which positions the inner ends of the leads 5 and 6' closer together; of a simultaneously occurring filament lifting operation which makes a larger loop in the filament 35' and which raises the center portion of said filament to a position above the open hooks of the support wires 8' and 8"; and of succeeding bending operations which tilt said support wires 8' and 8 back toward the filament so that the hooks 19' therein are below the filament loop and which then lift the end portions 11 of the support Wires into position to receive and support the filament 35' within the hooks 10. Because of the more compact design of the mount 4' and the longer filament 35 thereof, as compared to the mount 4 and filament 35, the proportions and distance of the movements of the device used for the mount reshaping operation just described must differ from those disclosed in connection with the manufacture of the mount 4. However, it is preferred that the device for perforrning these operations be of the type described.

The hook closing operation required to confine the filament 35 in the hooks of the support wires 8 and 8 and the support wire repositioning operation required to spread the support wires 8' and 3 to their proper relation are the functions of a device 100 (Figs. 18 and 19) located at the next work station taken by the mount 4. These operations which are particular to the manufacture of the mount 4 and only certain other types of mounts need not be included in all combinations of the invention. The mount 4' shown is advanced to a position opposite the device 1th) which first causes the support wire lifting finger 101 to be swung down under the end portions 11' of both support wires 8 and 8" as shown in Fig. 19 by a rotation of the arm 102 and the supporting shaft 193. The device 100 then causes said finger 101 to be lifted to bend the end portions 11' and causes the bases of the open hooks to be pulled up into contact with the filament 35'.

Both the swinging and lifting motions of the finger 101 are the result of an upward movement of a slide bar 104 located in vertical ways behind the plate 105 in one side of the standard 106 and are initiated by main driving means (not shown) below the device 100. The swinging motion occurs during the first upward movement of the slide bar 104 as the slide 107, which is the support for the shaft 103, is then held at a fixed elevation by the expansion force of a helical spring 108 located between the slide 107 and a plate 109 joining the opposite side portions of the standard 106, and the teeth of a rack 110 on the slide bar 104 efiect rotation of the spur gear 111 and the shaft 103 on which the said gear is fastened. At the limit of the swinging movement of the finger 101, the projection 112, on the upper end of the slide bar 104, bears against the end of the stop screw 113 in the slide 107 and forces the slide 107 upward in the ways of standard 106 sufliciently to efiect the required upward motion in the finger 101. The sleeve 114 which surrounds the stop screw 113 is free to slide vertically in the plate 109 on the standard 106 and provides, in combination with the nut 115, the means of locking the stop screw 113 in place on the slide 107. The rack 110 and the projection 112 on the upper end of the slide bar 104 also have the function of keeping the slide 107 from shifting laterally from the slide ways provided by the opposite sides of the standard 106 inasmuch as they are located within a vertical slot extending almost the full height of said slide 107.

The next operation of the hook-closing and support wire spreading device 100 is an advancing movement of the die 116 against the free ends of the open hooks 10' in the support wires 8 and 8" and efiects the bending of said free ends over against the opposite side of said hooks 10' as shown in Fig. 16 so that the filament 35 is locked therein. The support-wire lifting-finger 101 assists in holding the support wires 8' and 8" in place during this operation. The die 116 is attached to a support block 117 mounted on the end of a rod projecting from a horizontal slide 118 and, accordingly, takes the movement of the slide 118 which is located over and advanced with a second operating slide 119 within ways in the standard 106. The advancing movement of the die 116 originates in the main driving means (not shown) and is carried through the rod 120 to a bell crank 121 pivoted upon a pin 122 in the stationary bracket 123 and connected to the end of the operating slide 119 by a link 124. The movement of the die 116 is complete when the stop screw 125 in the block 126 on one side of slide 118 bears against the adjacent side of the standard 106 whereupon any excess in the motion of the operating slide 119 causes further expansion of the helical spring 127 joining posts in said operating slide 119 and in a block 128 attached to the end of slide 118 respectively. Prior to the termination of the movement of the slide 118, a heel portion of the end block 128 is caused to bear against the end of the operating slide 119 by the contraction force of the spring 127 so that the slide 118 and the operating slide 119 are moved in unison. The hook closing die 116 and the support wire lifting finger 101 are withdrawn from engagement with the mount 4 by the retraction of the operating slide 119 and a following return lowering. movement-in the slide bar 104. These latter operations of the device 100 separate the hook closing die 116 from the support wires 8 and 8 and then lower and swing the lifting finger 101 from said support wires 8' and 8" so as to prevent said elements from interfering with the desired rearrangement of said support wires in the subsequently occurring oper ations.

The final operation of the device 100 in its operating cycle brings about the respacing of the support wires 8' and 8" and is effected by a spreading movement of the tip ends of jaws 130 and 131 advanced to operative rela tion to the mount 4' by a second forward movement of the slide 118. The jaws 130 and 131 are pivoted upon a pin 132 projecting from the lower face of the support block 117 at the forward end of the slide 118 and are advanced to an extent which carries their tip ends between the support wires 8 and 8" when the stop screw on the slide 118 again engages the standard 106. The operating slide 119 does not interrupt its movement at such times but advances sufficiently to carry the heads of corresponding screws 133 on opposite corners of the forward end thereof against oppositely extending wings 134 of the jaws and 131. The pressure of the screws 133 turns the jaws 130 and 131 about the pivot pin 132 in a manner to spread the tips thereof against the normal resistance of the contraction force of a helical spring 135 connected between posts depending from the lower surface of said tips. At the conclusion of this latter operation the mount 4 appears as shown in Fig. 16. The return of the jaw tips to a back-to-ba'ck relation and the retraction of the jaws 130 and 131 from op-' erative relation to the mount 4 occurs when the slide 118 and operating slide 119 again are drawn back.

Although preferred embodiments of our invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the spirit and scope of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The method of making a miniature type of incandescent lamp mount comprising spaced leads extending from a bead of insulating material and a filament con"- nected to the extending ends' of said leads and an intermediate support wire retained by the bead and having a hook at its free end, which method comprises positioning the support wire at a preliminary location by bending said wire outward to an oblique relation to the plane of the leads with said hook opening in a direction away from said plane and by bending the end portion of said wir'e including the hook back toward said leads but short of said plane, mounting a filament across the leads and substantially in the said plane thereof, reforming the mount by simultaneously bending the leads closer together and lifting the mid-portion of the filament within the plane of said leads in a direction away from the bead and beyond the said end portion of the support wire, while the filament is held in said relation rebending the support wire back toward the plane of the leads to align it in the mount and position the hook therein between the filament and the bead, bending the said endportion of the support'wire away from the bead to bring the hook therein into engagement and supporting relation to the filament and, while retaining the end portion of the support wire in engage ment with the filament, bending the free end of said support wire forming one side of the hook over the filament and toward the opposite side thereof to at least partially close said hook.

2. The method of assembling'a filament on a miniature lamp mount comprising a pair of lead wires extending generally upward and divergently from an insulating bead and a support wire extending upwardly from said bead between said lead wires and having a hook in the end thereof opening laterally away from the plane including said lead wires, which method comprises the steps of preliminarily bending said support wire to extend from said bead obliquely away from said plane and with the free end portion thereof, including said hook, bent back in the direction of but short of said plane and with said hook opening in a generally upward direction, securing a filament across and between said lead wires and substantially in the plane thereof, bending the support wire back toward said plane of the lead wires to bring the hook under an intermediate portion of said filament and bending the end of the support wire upwardly to carry the hook into enegagement with the filament.

3. The method of assembling a filament on a miniature lamp mount comprising a pair of lead wires extending generally upward and divergently from an insulating bead and a support wire extending upwardly from said head between said lead wires and having a hook in the end thereof opening laterally away from the plane including said lead wires, which method comprises the steps of preliminarily bending said support wire to extend from said bead obliquely away from said plane and with the free end portion thereof, including said hook, bent back in the direction of but short of said plane and with said hook opening in a generally upward direction, securing a filament across and between said lead wires and substantially in the plane thereof, bending the lead wires closer together while lifting the filament by engagement with an intermediate portion thereof sulficiently to bow the filament upwardly above the free end of said support wire, bending the support wire back toward said plane of the lead wires to bring the hook under an intermediate portion of said filament and bending the end of the support wire upwardly to carry the hook into engagement with the filament.

4, In combination, holder means for holding a miniature lamp mount having a pair of lead wires extending upwardly and divergently from a bead with a filament extending between and secured to the ends of said lead wires and a support wire extending upwardly from said bead between said lead wires and obliquely away from the plane including said lead wires and filament and having its free end bent back toward said plane with a hook in the extremity thereof opening in an upward direction, a reshaping mechanism located to be adjacent said holder means and comprising a pusher member, means mounting said pusher member for movement in a direction to engage said support wire and push it toward the plane of said lead wires to bring said hook into said plane under the filament, prong means, means mounting said prong means for movement to a position adjacent said lead wires and under the bent back free end of said support wire and thence upward to carry said hook into engagement with the filament, and means. for actuating said pusher member and finger means as aforesaid.

5. In combination, holder means for holding a miniature lamp mount having a pair of lead Wires extending upwardly and divergently from a bead with a filament extending between and secured to the ends of said lead wires and a support wire extending upwardly from said bead between said lead wires and obliquely away firom the plane including said lead wires and filament and having its free end bent back toward said plane with a hook in the extremity thereof opening in an upward direction, a reshaping mechanism located to be adjacent said holder means and comprising a substantially vertically extending arm member mounted for pivotal movement about its upper end above said holder means, a shoe member extending laterally from the lower end of said arm to be adjacent the support wire of a mount in said holder means, means for pivoting said arm member in a vertical plane and direction to cause said shoe member to engage said support wire and push it toward the plane of said lead wires to bring said hook into said plane under the filament, a second arm member above said holder means having a prong portion extending laterally from its lower end, means mounting said second arm for pivotal movement about its upper end in a vertical plane normal to that in which the first-mentioned arm member is pivoted and for movement bodily upward, means for pivoting said second arm to bring the said prong portion thereon into position adjacent said lead wires and under the bent hack free end of said support and to then carry it upward to carry said hook into engagement with the filament, and means for actuating said arm members in proper time relation.

6. In combination, holder means for holding a miniature lamp mount having a pair of lead wires extending upwardly and divergently from a bead with a filament extending between and secured to the ends of said lead wires and a support wire extending upwardly from said bead between said lead wires and obliquely away from the plane includingsaid lead wires and filament and having its free end bent back toward said plane with a hook in the extremity thereof opening in an upward direction, a pair of finger members mounted adjacent said holder means to be located at the outside of said lead wires, 2. third finger member mounted between said pair of finger members to extend under a mid-portion of said filament, means for actuating said pair of fingers in a closing movement upon said lead Wires to bend the wires more closely together and means for actuating said third finger to move it upwardly to bow the filament upwardly above the said support wire, a shoe member mounted adjacent said holder means in apposition to said finger members, means for actuating said shoe memher to move it toward said finger members and into engagement with said support wire to bend said wire sufficiently to carry its book into the plane of said lead wires and filament, a prong member mounted to be adjacent said holder means, and means for actuating said prong member to carry it under the bent back end of said support wire and to thence carry it upward to raise the said hook into engagement with the filament, and means for operating said actuating means in proper time relation.

7. In combination,-holder means for holding a miniature lamp mount having a pair of lead wires extending upwardly and divergently from a bead with a filament extending between and secured to the ends of said lead wires and a support wire extending upwardly from said head between said lead wires and obliquely away from the plane including said lead wires and filament and having its free end bent back toward said plane with a hook in the extremity thereof opening in an upward direction, a reshaping mechanism located to be adjacent said holder means and comprising a pair of jaw fingers mounted for pivotal closing movement in a horizontal plane, a third finger mounted to extend horizontally between said pair of fingers and for movement in a vertical plane, movable support means for carrying said fingers horizontally toward said holder means to bring said pair of fingers at the outside of said lead wires and said third finger between said lead wires and under said filament, means for actuating said pair of fingers in a closing movement upon said lead wires to bend them more closely together and means for actuating said third finger-to move it upwardly to bow the filament upwardly above the support wire, a substantially vertically extending arm member mounted for pivotal movement about its upper end above said holder means, a shoe member extending laterally from the lower end of said arm to be adjacent the support wire of a mount in said holder means and in apposition to the said fingers, means for pivoting said arm member in a vertical plane and direction to cause said shoe member to engage said support wire and push it toward the plane of said lead wires to bring said hook into said plane under the filament, a second arm member above said holder means having a prong portion extending laterally from its lower end, means mounting said second arm for pivotal movement about its upper end in a vertical plane normal to that in which the firstmentioned arm member is pivoted and for movement bodily upward, means for pivoting said second arm to bring the said prong portion thereon into position adjacent said lead wires and under the bent back free end of said support and tothen carry it upward to carry said book into engagement with the filament, and means for actuating said fingers and said arm members in proper time relation.

8. In combination, holder means for holding a mininture lamp mount having a pair of lead wires extending upwardly and divergently from a head with a filament extending between and secured to the ends of said lead wires and a support wire extending upwardly from said 13 bead between said lead wires and obliquely away from the plane including said lead wires and filament and having its free end bent back toward said plane with a hook in the extremity thereof opening in an upward direction, a pair of finger members mounted adjacent said holder means to be located at the outside of said lead wires, a third finger member mounted between said pair of finger members to extend under a mid-portion of said filament, means for actuating said pair of fingers in a closing movement upon said lead wires to bend the wires more closely together and means for actuating said third finger to move it upwardly to bow the filament upwardly above the said support wire, a shoe member mounted adjacent said holder means in apposition to said finger members, a die member tied to said shoe member and located adjacent to and above said shoe member and projecting therebeyond and having a die cavity in its under side, means for actuating said shoe member to move it toward said finger members and into engagement with said support wire to bend said wire sufliciently to carry its hook into the plane of said lead wires and fila- 14 ment and to bring the said cavity in said die member over said hook, at prong member mounted to be adjacent said holder means, and means for actuating said prong member to carry it under the bent back end of said support wire and to thence carry it upward to raise the said hook into engagement with the filament and to bring the free end of said hook member into engagement with said cavity in the die member to close the hook about the filament, and means for operating said actuating means in proper time relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,378 Regenstriet Feb. 3, 1931 2,085,578 Flaws June 29, 1937 2,145,911 Anderson Feb. 7, 1939 2,199,852 Iden May 7, 194-0 2,327,033 Flaws Aug. 17, 1943 2,380,742 Flaws July 31, 1945 2,575,771 Russell Nov. 20, 1951 

